it's amazing how popular this helicopter is right now, when i got mine i was eyeballing them for several months and they always seemed to be in stock. i got mine not long ago and man, every one just feels the need to buy what i have. i dont get it.

I'm glad I got mine when I did, but it was my lucky unluckyness streak at play, my 425 had a real bad wreck , I was sick of fighting the dam owb, so I just said screw it and ordered one online. Got a real good deal at hobby hut.

I almost got it at the lhs, but empire and I have some history, and there team pilot would not answer my question about the tt in a lite kit, even though he had one in his hands.

__________________DX8X2MKS95iX3To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Well, to follow up, after learning AnythingHeli did not have one in stock I did go ahead and order one from HeliPross on May 6th. I inquired on the 8th about my order and shipping. This morning I woke up with this in my inbox:

Quote:

Dear Sir/Madame:
Thank you for your letter

About your order XXXXX
We have a problem
Accessories.4. MICROBEAST V2 to Change the v-bar(Small)
If you can accept a Change
We will arrange shipping for you as soon as possible

If you have any inquiry, please feel free to let us know.

Fortunately I was on a notification list for Clubheli and received notification Rick there was back in stock. I cancelled my order with Helipross and ordered from ClubHeli and added some CF skids

so most of us here in Taiwan fly with beastX, and the yellow one has got a nick name here - beginner fbl.

X5 - is not very popular as some of you think (the bird is great - honestly) but GAUI is such a small company that is trying so hard to manage everything (they have signed contracts with Scorpion, with v bar, with SDC, with so many other companies).
GAUI even didn't have enough money to produce X7 super combo - so in Taiwan if you wanted to buy it - you needed to pre pay it, not pre order it.
GAUI has signed a contract with another company to buy the servos from them. GAUI couldn't pay them - so they didn't want to produce the servos for their super combos.
Later on, GAUI announced they cannot send the servos to LHS around Taiwan, because there are so many orders - but Taiwan is a small island so the rumors are spreading fast and easily.

They are trying to put all together into one box - but it's quite difficult. Similar thing like Luxgen car in Taiwan (Nissan's engine, Mitsubishi's alternator, Ford's gearbox...)
They have fired the whole department (they call it department ) 3 ladies that used to work on orders - they screwed up the orders here in Taiwan - so everything was delayed. And now the new team - of 3 new workers are trying to figure out everything.

I admire GAUI's trying to fight against ALIGN's monopoly - but as far as I can see - sooner or later it is going to drown - maybe I am wrong, I wish I am wrong, because I replaced all my Align's birds to Gaui ones.

I am in Taiwan and having problems to find the parts for X2 and X7, but X5 is still easy to find or order. So I am scared of crashing - I have never been before - but now after 4 weeks of waiting for CNC servo holder - I am scared of waiting...

USA guys why don't you buy the helicopters made in USA? I would like to have one, but here is nearly impossible to find the parts for them.

This is getting me concerned , I thought GAUI was a booming growing company. Thats why I bought my X5. I wan't the X7 but if parts are gonna be that hard to get over there we're gonna have problems over here. I might lean towards a Synergy E7 or a Whiplash when I can afford it. There's good deals in the classifieds on them.

USA guys why don't you buy the helicopters made in USA? I would like to have one, but here is nearly impossible to find the parts for them.
Emil

Helis made in the USA have the same issues at times. Just look at Horizon - there was a time frame over a month and a half where landing skids for the MCPX could not be found. Same goes with the Blade 450 tail control slider.

I would think that with such a strong following and positive reviews that the production of the company would actually ramp up. Nearly every single post regarding X5 vs Align 550 super combo states the X5 is the way to go. And the X7 seems to be doing well also, although the price is more in line with the value. The X5 however seems to be actually priced very aggressively considering the rate of production, figuring the quality of the parts inside and what it would take to buy them all new.

Also look at the aftermarket support - KBDD dampeners, several canopy options... I wouldn't think these companies would invest in the R&D for a "Ma and Pop Shop" helicopter.

I suppose we will all know in time.

--EDIT-- Nothing against Horizon, they have a good product and great product support, but they don't have anything in a 550 class and up until now have been more in the entry level segment. I had my eye on the Chaos 550 as well and would love to support RC Aerodyne but they have been sold out of most helis on their site for months and I missed the 550 "Beta Test" window. I already ordered my X5 but I am curious if there truly is competition in this market segment other than the Align 550 Super Combo...